Cancer survival in Cuba, 1994-1995

The population-based cancer registry in Cuba is a national cancer registry established in 1964; cancer registration is entirely done by passive methods. Data on survival from 13 cancer sites or types registered during 1994-1995 are reported. Follow-up has been carried out predominantly by passive methods, with median follow-up ranging from 13-54 months. The proportion with histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged between 34-100%; death certificates only (DCOs) comprised 8-50%; 50-89% of total registered cases were included for the survival analysis. The 5-year age-standardized relative survival for selected cancers were breast (69%), colon (41%), cervix (56%), urinary bladder (64%), rectum (48%) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (49%). The 5-year relative survival by age group showed no distinct pattern or trend, and was fluctuating. A decreasing survival with increasing clinical extent of disease was noted for all cancers studied. The data on survival trend revealed that the 5-year relative survival of most cancers diagnosed in 1994-1995 was greater than that in 1988-1989.     

Cancer survival in Costa Rica, 1995-2000

The Costa Rica national tumour registry was founded in 1976 and nationwide data collection commenced in 1980. Cancer registration is predominantly done by passive methods. The registry contributed data on survival for invasive cancers of breast and cervix and in situ cancer of the cervix registered during 1995-2000. Followup has been carried out predominantly by passive methods, with median follow-up ranging from 31-47 months. The proportion of cases with histological confirmation of cancer diagnosis was 92% for invasive cancers and almost 100% for in-situ cancer of the cervix; death certificates only (DCOs) comprised 3%, and 78-86% of total cases registered were included for survival analysis. The one-, three- and five-year relative survival were 93%, 77% and 68%, respectively for breast cancer; the corresponding figures for invasive cervix cancer were 83%, 61% and 54%, respectively. The five-year relative survival for in-situ cervix cancer was 99%. A decreasing survival with increasing age group at diagnosis was noted for in-situ cancer of the cervix, while it fluctuated for invasive breast and cervix cancers. A decreasing survival with increasing clinical extent of disease was noted for invasive breast and cervix cancers.     

Cancer survival in Shanghai, China, 1992-1995

The Shanghai cancer registry, established in 1963, is the oldest one in mainland China; cancer registration is entirely done by passive methods. The registry contributed data on 52 cancer sites or types registered during 1992-1995 for this survival study. The methods of follow-up have been a mixture of both active and passive ones, with median follow-up ranging 3-81 months. The proportion with histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged from 14-95%; death certificates only (DCOs) ranged from 0-2% and 98-100% of total registered cases were included for survival analysis. The top ranking cancers on 5-year age-standardized relative survival (%) were thyroid (90%), non-melanoma skin (86%), penis (84%), corpus uteri (82%) and testis (80%). The corresponding survival rates for common cancers were lung (16%), stomach (30%), liver (9%), breast (78%) and colon (48%). The 5-year relative survival by age group reveals an inverse relationship for most cancers. An increasing trend in the 5-year absolute andrelative survival was noted for all cancers registered in 1992-1995 compared to 1988-1991.     

Cancer survival in Bhopal, India, 1991-1995

The Bhopal population-based cancer registry was established in 1986 under the national cancer registry programme to investigate the after-effect of a gas leak in 1984. Cancer registration is done entirely by active methods. The registry is contributing data on survival for 16 cancer sites or types registered during 1991-1995. Follow-up of cases was done by active methods with median follow-up time ranging between 8-44 months for different cancers. The proportion with histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged between 61-100%; death certificates only (DCOs) comprised 0-2%; 50-92% of total registered cases were included for survival analysis. The 5-year age-standardized relative survival rates for common cancers were mouth (34%), cervix (31%), breast (25%), tongue (12%), oesophagus (3%) and lung (1%). The 5-year relative survival by age group showed that survival was the highest in the youngest age group (45 years and below) for a majority of cancers. A decreasing survival with increasing clinical extent of disease was noted for most cancers studied.     

Cancer survival in Izmir, Turkey, 1995-1997

The Izmir cancer registry, the first population-based cancer registry in Turkey, was established in 1992. Cancer registration is now done by active methods. The registry contributed data on survival for 12 cancer sites or types registered in 1995-1997. Follow-up was predominantly done by active methods with median follow-up ranging between 17-72 months for different cancers. The proportion with histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged between 84-100%; there were no death certificate only (DCO) cases; 98-100% of total registered cases were included for the survival analysis. Complete follow-up at five years ranged from 79-98% for different cancers. Five-year age-standardized relative survival rates of common cancers were breast (77%), urinary bladder (70%), Larynx (69%), colon (53%), rectum (52%), non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (50%) and cervix (58%). Five-year relative survival by age group portrayed decreasing survival with increasing age at diagnosis for cancer of the cervix, and was fluctuating for other cancers. Decreasing survival with increasing clinical extent of disease was also noted.     

Cancer survival in South Karachi, Pakistan, 1995-1999

The Karachi cancer registry established in 1995 was the first population-based cancer registry in Pakistan. Cancer registration is done by active methods. The registry contributed data on survival for selected cancers of the head and neck registered during 1995-1999. FoLlow-up has been carried out predominantly by active methods with the median follow-up time ranging between 29-36 months for different cancers. The proportion of histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged between 98-100%; there were no cases as death certificates only (DCOs); 86-93% of total registered cases were included for survival analysis. Five-year followup ranged between 67-76%. The 5-year age-standardized relative survival rates was the highest for cancer of the salivary gland (44%), followed by oral cavity (40%), tongue (39%) and tonsil (3%). Five-year relative survival by age group did not display any pattern or trend and was fluctuating. A majority of cases have been diagnosed with a regional spread of disease: tongue (51%), oral cavity (53%), salivary gland (46%) and tonsil (79%) and survival decreased with increasing extent of disease for these cancers.     

Breast cancer survival in Rizal, Philippines, 1996-1997

The department of health-Rizal cancer registry (DOH-RCR) was the first population-based cancer registry in the Philippines, established in 1974. Even though cancer is reportable by legislation, cancer registration is pursued by active methods. Data on survival from cancer of the breast registered in 1996-1997 are reported. Followup was carried out by passive and active methods. The proportion of cases with a histological confirmation of cancer diagnosis was 90%; death certificates only (DCOs) constituted 6%; 81% of the total registered were included for the survival analysis. Complete follow-up at five years from the incidence date was 30%. Relative survival rates at one, three and five years were 89%, 56% and 37%, respectively. Five-year age-standardized relative survival was 35%. Five-year relative survival by age group did not display any pattern or trend, and was fluctuating. A majority of cases were diagnosed with a regional spread of disease (44%) followed by localized stage (17%). Five-year absolute survival ratesby extent of disease were localized (65%), regional (35%), distant metastasis (12%) and unknown (35%). Thetrend of 5-year survival for breast cancer decreased from 46% in 1987 to 37% in 1996-1997.     

Incidence of breast cancer on Crete, 1994-1995

The aim of this study was to present epidemiological results relating to malignant neoplasms of breast using primary data from the island of Crete, Greece, 1994-1995. The patients were all female residents of Crete with breast cancer first diagnosed during 1994 and 1995, 208 and 207 new incident cases, respectively. The data were collected and analysed by the Cancer Registry of Crete (CRC). Direct age-standardised rates (ASR) for incidence and cumulative risk (to age 75 years) were calculated for Crete as a whole. Standardised incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated for the 20 provinces (administrative regions); these were also smoothed using Bayesian methods. The ASR for incidence per 100000 person-years was 70.6. The truncated rate (age 40 years and above) was 153.7. The SIR for the 20 provinces showed no marked variations, with three exceptions, two of which had ratios higher than 1 and one lower. Bayesian smoothing of provincial incidence rates showed that throughout Crete, the risk of breast cancer shows considerable uniformity. The incidence rate of breast cancer on Crete is higher than that of Greece overall, and is comparable with other southern European countries. A possible explanation is that the published incidence for Greece may be an underestimation of the true rate. The small variability in breast cancer incidence within Crete probably reflects the homogeneity of the population and environmental and social conditions.     

Cancer Incidence in Thailand, 1995-1997

There are five population-based cancer registries in Thailand in different regions of the country. Four of them ‍(Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Bangkok, and Songkhla) have been operating since 1988 and the other (Lampang) since ‍the early 1990’s. These registries have published regular 3-year cancer incidence reports since the first in 1993 for ‍the period 1989-1991. The objective of this article is to summarize the figures of cancer incidence in Thailand during ‍1995-1997. The population of Thailand in 1996, at the middle of the period, was 27 million males and 27.5 million ‍females. Information of cancer cases residing in the five provinces was collected and abstracted from different ‍sources. Age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of cancer in males and females was calculated for each registry and ‍that for the whole country was estimated using the five registries as representatives for the four geographical regions ‍of Thailand. The estimated number of new cancer cases in 1996 for the whole country was 35,539 men and 38,476 ‍women and the ASRs were 149.2 and 125.0 per 105 population in men and women respectively. Cancer incidences ‍greatly differed from region to region. Lung cancer was the commonest in Chiang Mai and Lampang in the Northern ‍region in both sexes. The incidence of liver cancer in Khon Kaen in the Northeastern region outnumbered all the ‍others in both sexes; cholangiocarcinoma was the major type of liver cancer. In Bangkok, lung cancer was the most ‍important cancer in males and breast cancer was in females. Though it was lung and cervix uteri cancer that ranked ‍the first in men and women in Songkhla, the rate of oral and pharyngeal cancer was exceptionally higher than in ‍other registries. The geographical variability in cancer patterns in Thailand reflects exposure of the population to ‍different risk factors unique to the different regions. In the study as a whole, there are some methodological weak ‍points in estimating the ASRs and number of cancer cases for the whole country, but the results are the most reliable ‍cancer statistics from Thailand at the moment. In conclusion, both a country-wide and region-specific cancer control ‍programmes are needed for Thailand. The national one would be for the cancers common to all regions, and the ‍provincial-level emphasis should be on cancers which are the major problems in the area.     

Cancer mortality in Ireland, 1926-1995.

BACKGROUND: Investigation of long time series of cancer data can still be very useful in helping to identify Cancer Control priorities and achievements. Since the partition of Ireland into the independent Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which remained part of the United Kingdom, cancer mortality data have been published in an essentially similar format in both countries. The information presented here will contribute to providing a basis for the collaborative Cancer Research programme initiated recently. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cancer mortality data have been assembled and analysed separately for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland: the data have then been combined to present mortality rates for the whole of Ireland, covering the period from 1926 to 1995. Several rubrics had to be aggregated to provide data continuously over the time span (e.g. colon and rectum and cervix and body of the uterus). When data were only available in 10-year classes of age, the EM algorithm was employed to obtain 5-year age-specific rates. All rates presented are age-standardised, employing the World Standard Population. RESULTS: In women, the death rate from all neoplasms combined increased very slightly from 117 per 100 000 in 1946-1950 to 120 per 100 000 in 1991-1995. In men, the death rate increased from 127 per 100 000 to 172 per 100 000 over the same time period. The overall cancer death rate in Ireland is currently similar to the European average in men, although in women it is among the top fifth of national cancer mortality rates in European countries. While cancer is a major cause of death in Ireland, there is no evidence of an evolving epidemic building up: the death rates from most forms of cancer are declining towards the end of the time period considered. CONCLUSIONS: As demonstrated by falling death rates from Hodgkin's disease and testicular cancer, major treatment advances appear to have been incorporated effectively into clinical practice in Ireland. Progress is apparent in tobacco control and further initiatives in this area must be undertaken since tobacco appears to be the only major new carcinogen introduced recently into the Irish environment during the period covered by this study. Effective population-based screening programmes for cervix and breast cancer and, more controversially, consideration of a National Prostate Cancer Screening programme, offer scope for further improvement in mortality. Examination of this long time series of mortality data from Ireland provides information about the evolving cancer pattern and provides the necessary background to evaluate the impact of the cross-border cancer research activities now being launched.     

Breast cancer survival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 1994-1996

The national cancer registry in Saudi Arabia has functioned since 1994, collecting population-based incidence data on malignant and in situ tumours. Cancer registration is carried out by both passive and active methods. The registry contributed data on survival from cancer of the breast registered in 1994-1996 from Riyadh province. Follow-up was carried out predominantly by active methods, and the median follow-up was 57 months. The proportion of cases with a histological confirmation of breast cancer diagnosis was almost 100%; there were no cases registered based on death certificate only (DCO); 93% of total cases registered were included in the survival analysis. Complete follow-up at five years was 80%. Relative survival rates at one, three and five years were 96%, 83% and 65%, respectively. Five-year age-standardized relative survival was 65%. Five-year relative survival by age group did not show any pattern and was fluctuating. Five-year absolute survival by extent of disease was localized (70%), regional (56%), distant metastasis (57%) and unknown (62%).     

Cancer survival in Singapore, 1993-1997

The Singapore cancer registry is a national registry established in 1968. Cancer registration is done by passive methods. The registry contributed survival data on 45 cancer sites or types registered during 1993-1997. Data on 34 cancers registered during 1968-1997 were utilized for survival trend by period and cohort approaches. Follow-up was done by passive methods, with median follow-up ranging between 2-72 months for different cancers. The proportion with histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged between 27-100%; death certificates only (DCOs) comprised 0-7%; 76-100% of total registered cases were included for the survival analysis. The top-ranking cancers on 5-year age-standardized relative survival rates were nonmelanoma skin (96%), thyroid (90%), testis (88%), corpus uteri (77%), breast (74%), Hodgkin lymphoma (73%) and penis (70%). Five-year relative survival by age group showed either a decreasing trend with increasing age groups or was fluctuating. Localized stage of disease ranged between 18-65% for various cancers and survival decreased with increasing extent of disease. Period survival closely predicted survival experience of cancers diagnosed in that period, and an increasing trend in period survival over different periods indicated an improved prognosis for cancers diagnosed in those calendar periods.     

Cancer mortality in Europe, 1990-1994, and an overview of trends from 1955 to 1994

Mortality data, abstracted from the WHO database, are presented in tabular form for 26 cancer sites or groups of sites, plus total cancer mortality, in 35 European countries during the period 1990-1994. Trends in mortality are also given in graphical form for 24 major countries over the period 1955-1994. In most western European countries total cancer mortality was--for the first time--moderately downwards in the early 1990s. Such favourable trends included some decline in lung cancer mortality for males, the persistent decline in stomach cancer for both sexes, and of cervical cancer for women, as well as some decline in breast and colorectal cancers, plus other neoplasms (testis, lymphoid neoplasms), whose treatment has further improved over the last few years. However, cancer mortality was still upwards in a few southern and eastern European countries, including Hungary and Poland, where total cancer mortality rates in middle-aged males are now the highest ever registered in Europe. The favourable trends in western Europe over the recent years are similar to those observed in the U.S.A.     

Cancer survival in Songkhla, Thailand, 1990-1999

The Songkhla registry, besides being hospital-based, has population-based cancer registration data available since 1990. Cancer registration is done by active methods. The registry is contributing data on survival for 36 cancer sites or types registered during 1990-1999. Follow-up has been carried out by passive and active methods with median follow-up ranging from 3-71 months for different cancers. The proportion with histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged between 52-100%; death certificate only (DCO) cases comprised 0-34%; 54-93% of total registered cases were included for survival analysis. Complete followup at five years ranged from 50-85% for different cancers. Five-year age-standardized relative survival rates of common cancers were cervix (59%), lung (7%), breast (59%), thyroid (86%), oesophagus (11%), liver (2%), nonmelanoma skin (75%), colon (45%) and oral cavity (33%). Five-year relative survival by age group did not reveal any pattern or trend and was fluctuating. A majority were diagnosed with regional spread of disease, and survival decreased with increasing clinical extent of disease.     

Cancer survival in Lampang, Thailand, 1990-2000

The Lampang cancer registry was established in 1995, with retrospective data collection since 1988. Cancer registration is currently done by passive methods. The registry is contributing data on survival for 40 cancer sites or types registered during 1990-2000. Follow-up has been carried out by passive and active methods with median follow-up ranging from 1-74 months for different cancers. The proportion having a histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged between 30-100%; death certificate only (DCO) cases comprised 0-33%; 67-100% of total registered cases were included for survival analysis. Complete follow-up at five years ranged from 96-100% for different cancers. The 5-year age-standardized relative survival rate was the highest for skin non-melanoma (85%) followed by lip (81%), thyroid (74%), corpus uteri (71%) and penis (71%). The 5-year relative survival by age group showed a fluctuating trend. An overwhelmingly high proportion of cases were diagnosed with a regional spread of disease, ranging from 35-68% for different cancers, and survival was decreasing with increasing extent of disease for most cancers studied.     

Cancer survival in Qidong, China, 1992-2000

The Qidong cancer registry was established in 1972, and registration of cases is done by active and passive methods. The registry contributed data on 33 cancer sites or types registered during 1992-2000 for this survival study. Data on 22 cancers registered during 1972-2000 were utilized to elicit the survival trend by period and cohort approaches. Follow-up was done by a mixture of active and passive methods, with median follow-up ranging from 2-25 months. The proportion of cases with histologically verified cancer diagnosis ranged from 9-100%, and 87-100% of total registered cases were included for survival analysis. The top-ranking cancers on 5-year age-standardized relative survival (%) were thyroid (78%), breast (58%), corpus uteri (54%), larynx (51%) and urinary bladder (42%). The corresponding survival rates for common cancers were liver (6%), lung (7%) and stomach (18%). The 5-year relative survival by age group fluctuated and showed no distinct pattern or trend. The comparison of 5-year relative survival trend by cohort and period approaches revealed that period survival closely predicted the survival experience of cancer cases diagnosed in that period for most cancers.     

Childhood Cancer in Thailand: 1995-1997

The incidences of childhood cancers in Thailand between 1995 and 1997 were determined from cancer registrations ‍collected at five locations around the kingdom and compared with similar analyses performed at cancer registries in ‍Asia, Europe and the USA. The incidence in Thailand was found to be lower than in some Asian and Western ‍countries. Between 1988-1994 and 1995-1997, the incidence of childhood cancer rose 32.5%. As elsewhere in the ‍world, leukemias, brain tumors and lymphomas comprised two-thirds of all childhood cancers. The age-peak for ‍incidence was between 2 and 5 years, particularly for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Carcinomas were rare. Several ‍features of the cancer pattern correspond to other Asian populations, in particular the low incidence of Hodgkin’s ‍disease, Wilms’ tumor and Ewing’s sarcoma. Neuroblastoma was more common than in neighboring Southeast ‍Asian countries. ‍